Slipstream Gate? Vettel the big loser here. Looking to bounce back at a race Ferrari start favourites for he finds himself behind both Mercs and a team mate he looks increasingly inferior to.
Good stuff from the Renault drivers too, making hay on the back of Verstappen's misfortune and out qualifying the McLarens.
Odds on Hamilton getting a run on Leclerc into the Rettifilo?

2 x

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Slipstream Gate? Vettel the big loser here. Looking to bounce back at a race Ferrari start favourites for he finds himself behind both Mercs and a team mate he looks increasingly inferior to.
Good stuff from the Renault drivers too, making hay on the back of Verstappen's misfortune and out qualifying the McLarens.
Odds on Hamilton getting a run on Leclerc into the Rettifilo?

The Italian Grand Prix race stewards are having a busy evening in Monza with a number of investigations that may yet shake-up the grid for tomorrow's race. Could cause drives moving to the back of the grid, including Vettel, Sainz and Stroll, possibly Nico Hulkenberg as well.

News just in, is that the above drivers got reprimanded in qualification, Except Vettel who went off the circuit?.

Think Mercedes are in a good position to win tomorrow. They will use Bottas to come in early and get Charles t do the same. Allowing Hamilton to gain an advantage and save his tyres towards the end of the grand prix.

News just in, is that the above drivers got reprimanded in qualification, Except Vettel who went off the circuit?.

Think Mercedes are in a good position to win tomorrow. They will use Bottas to come in early and get Charles t do the same. Allowing Hamilton to gain an advantage and save his tyres towards the end of the grand prix.

Another, if a wee bit controversial, win for Leclerc -- no chance he was getting punished at Monza.
And another nail in the coffin of Vettel?
Yet another spin for Seb, he just seems to have lost it completely.
Hard to see how he comes back from this. Of the 7 races remaining maybe Russia and Mexico offer the best hope for a Ferrari win, but given how close the Mercs were at Monza and Spa, I'm not sure out and out pace will get the job done.
So, I'd say his chances of ending the season winless are pretty good right now.
Unless Vettel can pull off a couple of genius wins by the end of the season there's surely no way he starts next year as number 1. Its even debatable that he'd get joint top billing.

1 x

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Another, if a wee bit controversial, win for Leclerc -- no chance he was getting punished at Monza.
And another nail in the coffin of Vettel?
Yet another spin for Seb, he just seems to have lost it completely.
Hard to see how he comes back from this. Of the 7 races remaining maybe Russia and Mexico offer the best hope for a Ferrari win, but given how close the Mercs were at Monza and Spa, I'm not sure out and out pace will get the job done.
So, I'd say his chances of ending the season winless are pretty good right now.
Unless Vettel can pull off a couple of genius wins by the end of the season there's surely no way he starts next year as number 1. Its even debatable that he'd get joint top billing.

I think Vettel's days are over now!.... I really like the guy, but on the track he's ruthless like Shuhmacher was.

Again, glad that Charles won and now we are looking at Mercedes tracks and I can see Hamilton getting another 4 wins, Bottas 1, Vettel 2. maybe Charles again.

Another, if a wee bit controversial, win for Leclerc -- no chance he was getting punished at Monza.
And another nail in the coffin of Vettel?
Yet another spin for Seb, he just seems to have lost it completely.
Hard to see how he comes back from this. Of the 7 races remaining maybe Russia and Mexico offer the best hope for a Ferrari win, but given how close the Mercs were at Monza and Spa, I'm not sure out and out pace will get the job done.
So, I'd say his chances of ending the season winless are pretty good right now.
Unless Vettel can pull off a couple of genius wins by the end of the season there's surely no way he starts next year as number 1. Its even debatable that he'd get joint top billing.

I think Vettel's days are over now!.... I really like the guy, but on the track he's ruthless like Shuhmacher was.

Again, glad that Charles won and now we are looking at Mercedes tracks and I can see Hamilton getting another 4 wins, Bottas 1, Vettel 2. maybe Charles again.

As you've both suggested, it’s difficult to see where Vettel goes from here. And also there’s the question of what Ferrari does.

I’ve been thinking about the options.

Vettel has one more year to run on his contract, and I doubt he will be offered another one after that. So counting out that option there are four options left for him.

1. He retires at the end of this year.
2. He finds a new team for the new season.
3. He sees out his contract at Ferrari and retires at the end of next season.
4. He sees out his contract at Ferrari and finds a new team for 2021.

Option 1: Vettel retires at the end of this year.

If this happens Ferrari will need another driver. But who?

Hamilton: He still has one year left on his Mercedes contract and he has been making the right noises about loyalty. I’m pretty sure he will see out that contract.

Verstappen: He has been suggesting recently that he and Leclerc would make good team mates. And that certainly wouldn’t be at Red Bull. Leclerc and Verstappen would definitely make a tasty line-up.

Ricciardo: The Renault gamble isn’t paying off and the lure of a top team would be very appealing for him.

Alonso: He wants to come back to F1 but he has a habit of burning his bridges – and I think his bridges back to Ferrari are well and truly burnt!

Another Barichello-esque driver? Ferrari have a history of having a No.1 and No.2 driver. If they went down that route again who would fit the bill?

Hulkenberg: He is a free agent who doesn’t have many options right now. I think he would take the No.2 role.

Giovinazzi: He is already on Ferrari's books. He’s not setting the world alight at Alfa Romeo so would certainly fill that No.2 role willingly.

Raikkonen: Back for a third time? Giving him another one year contract. A safe(ish) pair of hands. And of course keeping in mind the big-name drivers would be coming to an end of their existing contracts next year.

Option 2: Vettel finds a new team for the new season.

If he did go anywhere else in Formula One it would be to Red Bull. A change of scenery, and back to a familiar one at that, it could do him good. Teaming up with Verstappen would not be a good idea – but if he did go there it would open up the possibility of Max going the other way. Red Bull don’t have an abundance of talent to call on right now, so a Seb/Max swap could work.

Option 3: Vettel sees out his contract at Ferrari and retires at the end of next season.

Hamilton: He will be at the end of his Mercedes contract. If all goes well he would have equaled Schumacher on seven Championships. He will have the chance of winning a World title in a third different team. Most of the Lewis-haters are Ferrari fans, so that would instantly get all them onside. If he could win a title in a Ferrari, an eighth title, it may well cement his place as the greatest driver in history.
He could then retire as Champion and legend!

Option 4: Vettel sees out his contract at Ferrari and finds a new team for 2021.

This will probably depend on two things.

How he performs next year. If he continues to get trounced by Leclerc I think he just won’t have the stomach to continue.
And what will F1 look like in 2021? If Brawn and his team do a good job and we do get this promised new dawn in Formula One, Seb might want to be part of that.

Of all of those options, none of them seem nailed on. It’s a tough one to call.

I think Vettel's days are over now!.... I really like the guy, but on the track he's ruthless like Shuhmacher was.

Again, glad that Charles won and now we are looking at Mercedes tracks and I can see Hamilton getting another 4 wins, Bottas 1, Vettel 2. maybe Charles again.

As you've both suggested, it’s difficult to see where Vettel goes from here. And also there’s the question of what Ferrari does.

I’ve been thinking about the options.

Vettel has one more year to run on his contract, and I doubt he will be offered another one after that. So counting out that option there are four options left for him.

1. He retires at the end of this year.
2. He finds a new team for the new season.
3. He sees out his contract at Ferrari and retires at the end of next season.
4. He sees out his contract at Ferrari and finds a new team for 2021.

Option 1: Vettel retires at the end of this year.

If this happens Ferrari will need another driver. But who?

Hamilton: He still has one year left on his Mercedes contract and he has been making the right noises about loyalty. I’m pretty sure he will see out that contract.

Verstappen: He has been suggesting recently that he and Leclerc would make good team mates. And that certainly wouldn’t be at Red Bull. Leclerc and Verstappen would definitely make a tasty line-up.

Ricciardo: The Renault gamble isn’t paying off and the lure of a top team would be very appealing for him.

Alonso: He wants to come back to F1 but he has a habit of burning his bridges – and I think his bridges back to Ferrari are well and truly burnt!

Another Barichello-esque driver? Ferrari have a history of having a No.1 and No.2 driver. If they went down that route again who would fit the bill?

Hulkenberg: He is a free agent who doesn’t have many options right now. I think he would take the No.2 role.

Giovinazzi: He is already on Ferrari's books. He’s not setting the world alight at Alfa Romeo so would certainly fill that No.2 role willingly.

Raikkonen: Back for a third time? Giving him another one year contract. A safe(ish) pair of hands. And of course keeping in mind the big-name drivers would be coming to an end of their existing contracts next year.

Option 2: Vettel finds a new team for the new season.

If he did go anywhere else in Formula One it would be to Red Bull. A change of scenery, and back to a familiar one at that, it could do him good. Teaming up with Verstappen would not be a good idea – but if he did go there it would open up the possibility of Max going the other way. Red Bull don’t have an abundance of talent to call on right now, so a Seb/Max swap could work.

Option 3: Vettel sees out his contract at Ferrari and retires at the end of next season.

Hamilton: He will be at the end of his Mercedes contract. If all goes well he would have equaled Schumacher on seven Championships. He will have the chance of winning a World title in a third different team. Most of the Lewis-haters are Ferrari fans, so that would instantly get all them onside. If he could win a title in a Ferrari, an eighth title, it may well cement his place as the greatest driver in history.
He could then retire as Champion and legend!

Option 4: Vettel sees out his contract at Ferrari and finds a new team for 2021.

This will probably depend on two things.

How he performs next year. If he continues to get trounced by Leclerc I think he just won’t have the stomach to continue.
And what will F1 look like in 2021? If Brawn and his team do a good job and we do get this promised new dawn in Formula One, Seb might want to be part of that.

Of all of those options, none of them seem nailed on. It’s a tough one to call.

Nicely summed up, mate. I personally think Vettel will see out his contract. He'll fancy Leclerc has just had the rub of the green this year and will want another crack with next years car.
When his contract is up it's worth noting that both Merc seats will be up for grabs too. Whether Hamilton stays or goes Vettel must be a tempting option.
I for one would love to see how Vettel stacks up against Hamilton with the same car under him. I've always thought that Rosberg was a better driver than Vettel, despite the disparity in WDC's, and seeing how the former compares to Hamilton might clear that up.

1 x

Communism deprives no man of the power to appropriate the products of society; all that it does is to deprive him of the power to subjugate the labour of others by means of such appropriations.